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United States Department of State

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Consulate General of the United States in Sydney

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Supporting Documents

Please read carefully regarding submitting documents to support your application and downloading forms.

The following applies to all documents submitted.

Acceptable:
  • Originals
  • Copies certified by the State or Federal authorities, bearing the official’s seal and signature (e.g. for a birth, death or marriage that occurred in Australia, a certificate issued by the Registry of Birth, Deaths and Marriages; for a birth death or marriage that occurred in the U.S. please refer to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)).
  • Laminated documents ONLY if the raised seal is clearly discernible through the laminate.

An official written translation is also required for any documents issued in languages other than English.

Not acceptable:
  • Photocopies of birth, death or marriage certificates notarized by a Clerk of Court, Justice of the Peace, Solicitor or Notary Public
  • Hospital records/certificates
  • Celebrant-issued marriage certificate
Photocopies (in addition to the above acceptable supporting documents):

(These photo copies do not need to be notarized/certified. If you do not provide photocopies to leave with us, you will be charged USD1 per photocopy.)

  • 1 photocopy of each supporting document to leave with us
  • If applying for a Social Security Number (SSN) please provide 2 copies of each of the following (in addition to 1 copy of other documents):
    • Applicant’s birth certificate
    • Applicant’s photo identification (if applicable)
    • Photo identification of the applicant’s parent(s) (if applicable)
Affidavits must be:
  • Fully completed before the interview/appointment
  • Signed in front of either the Consular Officer at time of interview/appointment, or in front of a Notary Public

Original documents will be returned to you, either at the time of your interview, or with the new passport/Consular Report of Birth.

Downloading forms

Please disregard instructions and addresses on the online forms — these are not applicable when applying outside the U.S.

The forms are in the Adobe PDF format. Get Adobe Reader.

Examples of acceptable evidence:

(any one of the following documents are acceptable as “Evidence of…” for that category)

  • Evidence of U.S. Citizenship:
    • U.S. birth certificate
    • U.S. passport (not mutilated, damaged or altered)
    • Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) (Form FS-240)
    • Certification of Birth (Form DS-1350 or FS-545)
    • Certificate of Naturalization
    • Certificate of Citizenship

    For applicants older than 18, who have never been documented as a U.S. Citizen, please refer to Possible Derivative Claim to U.S. Citizenship.

  • Evidence of Identity (must contain current name and signature and a physical description or photograph):
    • U.S. passport (not mutilated, damaged or altered)
    • Foreign passport (not mutilated, damaged or altered)
    • Driver’s license
    • Certificate of Naturalization
    • Government I.D.
    • Military I.D.

    If your facial image and/or signature have changed since the document was issued, please also submit progressive identifying documents from the time of issue to the present (e.g. school year books, student ID card, old passports, old driver's license etc).

    If you cannot submit at least one of the above acceptable identifying documents, you will need:

    • Documents bearing your signature (e.g. a combination of Social Security card, credit card, bank card, library card etc.) AND
    • Affidavit of Identifying Witness to be completed and signed by your witness in front of the Consular Officer or a Notary Public. Your Identifying Witness must:
      • have known you for at least 2 years
      • be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
      • submit acceptable evidence of identification and citizenship
  • Evidence of Name Change (must contain both the name on the evidence of citizenship and the name you wish to change to):
    • Marriage certificate
    • Court order
    • Divorce decree
    • Change of Name Certificate
    • Adoption decree

    A valid identifying document (e.g. driver’s license, Australian passport) bearing your new name should also be presented, if available.

    If your most recent passport was issued with limited validity due to lack of evidence of citizenship or identity at the time of issuance, you must submit the necessary documents as advised by the issuing authority.

    If there is a change or an error in the descriptive data in your recently issued passport, you must submit the appropriate evidence showing the correct information (e.g. birth certificate or marriage certificate).

  • Evidence of Marriage:
    • Marriage certificate
  • Evidence of termination of marriage:
    • Divorce decree
    • Death certificate
  • Evidence of relationship to parent(s)/guardian(s) (must show both the applicant’s name and parent(s)’/guardian(s)’ name):
    • Full birth certificate
    • Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) (FS-240)
    • Certification of Birth Abroad (DS-1350)
    • Adoption decree*
    • Court order establishing Custody
    • Court order establishing Guardianship

    If any of the names have changed since the above documents were issued, you must submit acceptable evidence of name change.

    *Adopted children of U.S. citizen parent(s) do not automatically acquire citizenship. They may however be eligible for citizenship through naturalization pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence sponsored by the U.S. citizen parent. Please see immigrant visas and the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 for further information.

  • Parental Application Permission Documentation:
    • Both parents/guardians must sign the application, either in front of the Consular Officer, OR

    if both parents/guardians are not able to be present to sign in front of the Consular Officer:

    • Consent Form DS-3053 (must be signed by the non-present parent/guardian in front of a Notary Public) AND
    • Non-present parent’s/guardian’s identification (original or a notarized copy)

    In cases of sole authority, any one of the following:

    • Child’s full birth certificate, listing only applying parent
    • Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) or Certification of Birth Abroad (Form DS-1350) listing only applying parent
    • Court order granting sole custody to the applying parent (unless child's travel is restricted by that order)
    • Adoption decree (if applying parents is sole adopting parent)
    • Court order specifically permitting applying parent's or guardian's travel with the child
    • Judicial declaration of incompetence of non-applying parent
    • Death certificate of non-applying parent.

Last update: Thursday, 17 September 2009 GMT+1000

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